


2 Single Straight Dudes

by Aakulujusi



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-11-26 15:50:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18182600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aakulujusi/pseuds/Aakulujusi
Summary: Reggie and Archie hang out just like the two single straight dudes they are!





	2 Single Straight Dudes

**Author's Note:**

> For the archiereggie gift exchange on tumblr!

The school bell was ringing overhead and Archie was still organizing his books for his next class. He was officially late, but what was new? He had been struggling to get a grip on high school since he started and it didn’t look like it was getting an easier. Then again, some people made wading these ~~Cheryl~~ shark infested waters bearable. Betty, Veronica, Jughead and sometimes even—

“Yooo! Clifford! Catch!” Reggie Mantle threw _something_ towards him and Archie did not move to catch it. You know why? “My name’s not Clifford.” Archie smiled towards Reggie while he still balanced his books in his arms. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the something fall to the linoleum school floors. Something pink. Heart shaped? “In fact,” Archie continued, “I’m pretty sure that’s Cheryl’s dad’s name. You know, the murderer?”

“Okay.” Reggie leaned against the locker in front of Archie’s, arms crossed over his chest. “How about I call you Killjoy instead?”

Archie shrugged, smile not sliding off his face. “At least it’d be creative.”

Reggie scoffed. “I’m creative.” Archie let out a full on laugh.

“Reg. Figuring out exactly which key words to type into Google to bring up Barntopia furry porn is not creativity.” What did Jughead call it? Depravity? But could Jughead really talk? Archie wondered if Betty still owned that black wig.

Again, out came a scoff from Reggie. It really was his favorite thing to do. Other than be pretty. Not that Archie thought he was pretty or anything. “That happened once. In eighth grade! And it was funny! Gimme a break!”

Archie was trying to close and locker. Despite how many books he was balancing his arms, even more were stuffed inside of the locker. “Reggie, that was...” He pushed against the locker. “Last week in computer lab.” Fifth period, if Archie remembered correctly.

“Okay so, that was once in eighth grade and once last week. The point is, long lost Weasley,” Reggie pointed a finger at Archie, just to be clear. “I have talent. Talent that you are failing to acknowledge.”

Archie finally got the padlock closed on his locker door. “Oh yeah?” He challenged. “Prove it.”

“I already did, Andrews. I made you something.” Reggie told him, nodding in the direction that something flew behind Archie. Only a few straggling students remained in the hallway and, when Archie looked back, he could see the something clearly and for what it was: a heart shaped greeting card.

Archie thought two things and felt two things. His thoughts were, ‘ _why?_ ’ and ‘ _buying a card in the store isn’t creative, either._ ’ His feelings were a low drumming excitement and... happiness. He tried to figured out why that was. Looking back at Reggie he said, “I don’t think anyone’s ever made anything for me. Ever.” That was a weird realization to have. That third feeling swirled in with his others. “...thanks, man.”

“I really want you to read it.” Reggie said. “Oh, let me help, dude.” Reggie took a single book off the stack in Archie’s arms and went to pick up the card.

Archie rolled his eyes. “That was _sooo_ helpful.” He said sarcastically.

“Anytime, dude.” Reggie turned with the card, spreading it out, open, on top of Archie’s book stack. It read,

_your hair is red,_

_my balls are blue,_

_do you wanna hang out_

_as Single Straight Dudes?_

“How... thoughtful.” Archie said breathily. Not only were these books starting to put a strain on him, Reggie’s “poetry” knocked the wind out of him. “I gotta ask, pal, you’re... popular. Extremely.”

“That’s not really a question, more of an undeniable fact, but go on.” Reggie grinned.

“Right, so, you must have other people to want to hang out with, right?” Archie realized he said “right” twice in one sentence but he hoped Reggie wouldn’t point it out. “I can’t be the highest on the list, right?”

Reggie’s smile faltered. “Considering a few other undeniable facts in that Moose is gone, Midge is dead, Dilton is dead, and Chuck is lost somewhere in the ether?” He shrugged. “My options have become a lot more limited lately, yeah, but I still want to hang out, Arch. I wrote a _poem_.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a _poem_.” Archie glanced over the card again and looked up to meet Reggie’s brown eyes, usually sharp and cocky but currently in full puppy dog mode. “I’m down.”

“Duuuude!” Reggie’s grin returned instantly. “You won’t regret it. It’s gonna be LIT!”

 

🚗🚗🚗

“Reggie, I can’t do this.”

Reggie looked back at Archie. He was fastening his helmet onto his head, making sure it fit just right and Archie? Well, Archie was twiddling his thumbs and looking down at his own helmet in his hands like it was planning to kill him. Reggie groaned. “You came all the way out there.”

“...I did do that.” Archie recalled.

“Mhmmmm, so, why do all that not to try?” Reggie reasoned. He was always thought he was great at reasoning, even though his voice was muffled by his helmet.

Archie squared his jaw. “We could die?”

“Didn’t you get attacked by a bear?”

“Not for sport!” Archie argued as Reggie walked towards the racecar, sitting on the track. T

hat was Reggie’s idea of a hangout, both of them revving their engines and blasting off. Reggie bet Archie enjoyed that drag race last year, what made him so different from Jughead? That being said, Reggie knew that Archie  _barely_ knew how to drive that jalopy of his. And that was why, "You can sit shotgun." Reggie offered. "Now come on! My patience is wearing thin." He opened the driver's seat door and slid inside. "If you don't move fast, I might run you over!" He closed the door behind him. Thankfully, Reggie's joking threat was enough to convince Archie to put his ass in high gear and join him in the passenger's seat.

Archie clicked on his seatbelt and made extra sure the door was locked. "I'm trusting you, Reggie Mantle." He slid his helmet over his head.

"That's exactly what I'm counting on." Reggie flicked down the visor on his helmet and stomped down on the gas pedal, taking off down the race track. They were going _fast_. One glance in the rearview mirror at Archie told Reggie that the redhead was having as much fun as he was. Or was in the middle of a heart attack. Same thing. Reggie only did one lap before quickly halted near the beginning of the track. He just wanted to show off, really. He pulled his helmet off and laughed. His heart was racing as he exited the car. "Come on, Arch. It's safe to get out. Unless you pissed your pants, then you have to pay for this entire car. No exceptions."

Archie exited the car, pulling off his own helmet. He was breathing heavy. "That was... the entire time we were this close," He held up his hand, thumb and index finger pressed together. " _This close_ to crashing." "

Yeah, and that's why it's fun, Archibald!" Reggie laughed. "You can't feel your blood pumping?" He fan himself, like he was getting a good whiff of a freshly made pastry. "That spike in adrenaline? Isn't it awesome?"

Archie shook his head. "Yeah. That was... pretty fun." He admitted, finally, lips breaking into a smile that Reggie couldn't keep his eyes off of.

Reggie placed a firm hand on Archie's shoulder. "See? I always have your back, dude. When I have a fun idea, it's a fun idea."

Archie nodded his head a bit. "Of course. I... trust you completely. You're a boss."

Reggie sucked his teeth. "Ooh, Andrews, that was hot. Say it again."

"Shut up." Archie pushed Reggie's hand off his shoulder and started towards the driver's side of the racecar. "Let's go again."


End file.
